The Rock Who Opened Up
by Tjjk
Summary: When Aang severely messes up an Earthbending move, he finds himself trapped in a cave with Toph. Distracted by love, Aang tells Toph that that's the reason for his block and finds out a little secret about Toph herself. A Kataang and Tokka oneshot.


After seeing "The Crossroads of Destiny", I realized what a cute couple Sokka and Toph would make. I guess that's what inspired me to write this Tokka-Kataang story. Anyway, this is just a story about Aang and Toph opening up to each other about their love life. It's not Taang. Enjoy the fan fiction!

**Disclaimer:** Yeah, I so totally own "Avatar: The Last Airbender". That's why I'm writing fan fiction. Not.

The mid afternoon sun burned the back of Aang's neck as he watched his Earthbending master, once again, demonstrate the Earth Tornado. They'd been at it all day but Aang still hadn't mastered the technique. In fact, he wasn't even close.

The two Earthbenders were practicing in a dry, barren valley near a small Earth Kingdom town. It was mostly just dust and rocks, but that's all they really needed. Pillars and walls of rock surrounded the duo, reaching into the stretch of blue sky overhead. Dying plants and straggly weeds grew in corners and hung from cracks in the rocky borders, rustling slightly in the gentle breeze. A couple of prairie dogs popped out of the ground nearby and sang low, mournful notes that accompanied Aang's mood at the moment.

He sighed and nodded to Toph as she ended the move. Even though he had overcome his Earthbending block, the element was still tough for him to learn. As Toph put it, he was 'too busy thinking like an Airbender when he should be thinking like an Earthbender'. Aang had mastered countless other Earthbending moves but none had been as challenging as this. Toph had no sympathy to his case, however, and forced the Avatar to continue training even after Katara and Sokka went off to lunch. Aang grabbed his stomach weakly just thinking about the two siblings off in some cool shop, eating away at carefully prepared fruit and egg custard tarts.

Katara. Just thinking about the beautiful Waterbender made Aang's stomach flip. He could never think straight around Katara. She was just too distracting. Somehow, the young Avatar always found himself glued to her. He just couldn't seem to ignore her beauty. The way her ocean-blue eyes twinkled when she was pleased… The way her cheeks lit up with a rosy blush when she laughed… Even the way she walked fascinated Aang. She was so graceful and balanced, never awkward. And she respected and cared for Aang like he had never been cared for before, not even by the monks. He always felt the need to protect her as if she was a priceless treasure or a one-of-a-kind gem. But then she always found a way to reverse it and ended up protecting _him_. Aang felt safe around Katara and he hoped she felt the same. He felt like she was his guardian and he hoped she had that same feeling.

She had tried to save him from Toph, too. She insisted that he should eat lunch so he would be refreshed, but Toph was stubborn. She was like a rock herself, in a way. Toph wasn't like Katara in the least. She was tough and forceful and always got her point across. Aang liked this about Toph but right now, he really wished she would just give in and let him go back to the village for lunch. His could practically hear his stomach growling.

"Twinkletoes, _please_ tell me you were watching!" Toph snapped suddenly, jolting Aang out of his daydreaming.

"Oh, er, yeah, I saw! Great technique!" Aang invented with a cheesy smile.

Toph looked angry. "Then why don't you try and _this_ time, you better get it perfect!"

"Oh, well I – " Aang started sheepishly, putting his hand behind his head nervously.

"Go on!" Toph urged, stepping close to Aang. "Just copy my _great technique_."

Aang sighed and took a stance near the pile of rocks the two were practicing with. Then, he raised his arms rapidly, causing the rocks to soar into the air with breathtaking acceleration. Waving his hands around wildly, the Airbender tried to mimic Toph's move, although he hadn't been paying much attention the last time she demonstrated, causing for the rocks to go shooting off in every which direction.

Sensing the imminent danger, Toph Bended a thick boulder shield out of the ground to protect herself. Several rocks collided with the shield and with a deafening crack, each one shattered into thousands of tiny pieces. When the onslaught of boulders ended, Toph slammed her shield back into the ground and approached Aang with an intimidating pose.

"Look, Twinkletoes. If you want to play around with air, go join a sailing club. But if you want to learn Earthbending properly, you better listen to me and listen to me good!"

"I'm sorry…" Aang said truthfully, hanging his head. "I just got a little… distracted." Visions of Katara crowded the Avatar's mind again but he shook them away.

"Well pay attention because this is the _last_ time I'm gonna demonstrate this move!"

Toph moodily took a stance in front of another pile of small boulders. She took a deep breath and flung one of her arms out. The rocks trembled slightly and she made a violent stabbing motion with both of her hands. The rocks began to fly. She held both her arms out and curled her fingers, causing the boulders to rise even higher at a steady rate. Toph pulled her arms in and out as the rocks started to spiral and gain speed. Then, she whirled her arms around once and made outward gestures on either side of her, sending the rocks flying in all directions.

Aang Airbended a small sphere of wind around him and the rocks ricocheted off, landing harmlessly on the canyon floor. He looked back at Toph, who had ended the move by raising her arms over her head and placing them level with her waist.

"You have to actually _feel_ the air, not create it," Toph informed Aang as he scrambled back over to her. "Balance yourself with the current, feel which way it's going, and then command the boulders."

"Okay. I'll try." Aang felt slightly more confident but he was still worried that he might create air again and cause even more damage. The valley walls were filled with small cracks and crevices which sometimes caved in. He didn't want to get trapped in one as they were nearly impossible to escape.

Taking a stance that reflected Toph's, Aang once again attempted the move. But just after he started, Katara popped into the Avatar's head again. _Oh, please, no!_ Aang moaned to himself, trying to rid his mind of Katara. _Please, why do I have to think about her now?!_

A torrent of stones swirled violently around the Airbender. Panicking, Aang waved his arms around wildly, trying to stop them. _Oh no!_ Aang thought, horrified. Instead of settling back on the ground, the rocks flew up into the air. He shot a blast of air up at them but to his horror, that only knocked the rocks against the wall where Toph was standing.

Toph could tell that something was wrong but she didn't have enough time to register what it was, let alone defend herself. With a feeling of dread, the young Airbender put on a spurt of speed and powered himself with Airbending. The stones were starting to fall now, dropping at a rate of forty miles per second. Aang threw himself into Toph, pushing both of them into one of the small caverns that lined the rocky walls.

Just in time, too. A second later, Aang and Toph heard a thunderous crash. The rocks collided with the rugged ledge above the cavern, collapsing it. Piles of rocks pounded down in front of the small entrance, spilling into the cave. Toph and Aang backed against the wall as mounds and mounds of dirt and pebbles finished off the destruction.

Finally, the earth settled, leaving master and student in total darkness. Toph was silent, but Aang could sense her anger and disappointment. He had failed again and miserably too, by the looks of it. They were trapped.

The cave was small and stuffy, especially in the hot weather. Aang found it slightly hard to breathe. There was barely enough room for the two Benders to sit, let alone walk around. The low ceiling caused Aang to slouch and his shoulders and neck ached. A few small spider webs crisscrossed the corners.

Toph didn't say anything and Aang was too fearful to consult his master. Finally, after several seconds of painful silence, he gathered up his courage and spoke. "Well… That wasn't right," he said lamely, trying to fake a smile that was invisible to Toph and even invisible to himself in the almost pitch-black darkness.

"You're right," Toph replied coldly, crossing her arms. "That was wrong! And guess what? You're not leaving until you can prove yourself an Earthbender by unblocking that entrance!"

"Okay, okay," Aang responded hastily, not wanting to upset his teacher any more. "I'll try."

Aang felt his way over to the disaster scene and tried to move the rocks with a simple Earthbending move. Nothing. And to make matters worse, Aang was thinking about Katara again. _This must be what's blocking me_, he thought agitatedly. _But I have to stop thinking about her!_

"Go on!" Toph cried, stomping her foot. "Unblock that door so we can leave!"

"I can't," the exhausted Airbender sighed, slumping to the ground. "I can't."

"Why not?!" the infuriated Earthbender demanded, sounding furious.

"I'm just… distracted again."

"By what?! You don't see me ever get distracted!"

"It's… hard to explain," Aang groaned, wishing he could just stop talking. What did Toph know about love? Had she ever been in love? Did she know the strain of heartache? Did she feel the chills and thrills of being close to a special person?

"Well start explaining." By the rough tone of her voice and the defiant expression on her face, Aang decided not. Toph had never been in love.

"Love," Aang said softly, feeling his cheeks burn red.

"What?!" Toph sounded startled but not angry. "What do you mean?" she asked quietly. Aang was surprised. He rarely heard Toph speak so gently.

"Well…" Aang started to feel uncomfortable. Did he really want to discuss love with Toph of all people? He was treading on thin ice and he knew it. "There's this girl…"

"I know who you're talking about."

Aang leapt up and gasped, hitting his head hard on the jagged cave roof. "H-how do you know? Who?" he asked shakily, color rising to his face again as he rubbed his head. He was suddenly glad the cave was dark and Toph was blind.

"It goes for both of us, Twinkletoes."

"What do you mean?" Aang was suddenly interested although somewhat apprehensive. Did Toph mean what he thought she did? Was it possible that she was in love? "Toph… do you like somebody?" Aang asked incredulously.

In the small ray of light that shone through a crack in the avalanche, Aang could see a faint pink tinge to Toph's cheeks.

"Let's put it this way," she said slowly and nervously. _Toph's never nervous_, Aang thought wondrously. "We're both attracted to people from the same family."

It took Aang a moment to contemplate this information. Then – "Toph… are you in love with Sokka?"

Toph's small blush deepened. Aang slid along the wall and sat next to her. "You like him, don't you?"

Hesitantly, she nodded. "And you like Katara."

"How can you tell?" Aang asked, a little more comfortable with the fact that she knew his secret now that he knew hers.

"It's so obvious I'm surprised she hasn't found out yet," Toph replied with a hint of her old self in her voice. "The way you stutter next to her, how you walk. You walk less gracefully when you're near her, you know."

Aang was nonplussed. Toph knew things about him that even he didn't. Had he really been as obvious as she said? "Really?" was all he managed to choke out.

"Yeah." Toph nodded. "And the way you start to shake."

"I don't shake!" Aang cried out, somewhat defensive.

"You wouldn't notice," Toph said simply. "It's very subtle. But I can feel it. I know it's about Katara, you always shake near her, even if there's no danger."

"Well… does Katara know?" Aang asked quickly, hoping that Toph would be able to tell.

"Believe it or no, no, she doesn't," the blind Earthbender confirmed, making Aang relax a little. "But I think she has an idea. She's not completely on to you, but she does have an idea."

Aang nodded, unsure of whether he should feel relieved or troubled by this news. He decided that since Katara didn't know, he was fine. "What about you and Sokka?" he asked hesitantly, not wanting to upset her.

Toph didn't answer. She toyed with a pebble on the ground and didn't look up for several minutes. Aang was about to ask again when she finally lifted her head up and answered. "To tell you the truth, I don't think he knows I exist." She sounded sad and helpless and so un-Toph-ish. Aang felt a stab of pity for her.

"Of course he knows you exist!"

"Yeah. But he doesn't like me the way I like him."

"Why do you like him so much?" Aang asked cautiously, not wanting to upset the now fragile Earthbender.

She shrugged and flicked the pebble at the wall. It bounced off the rock and landed silently on the ground. "He's strong and smart and funny… And I know he really cares for my safety. I sometimes pretend to be a little helpless just so he'll notice me. Remember back in the desert, when you went into the Avatar State?" Toph said the last part rather shyly as if she didn't want to upset Aang.

But he understood her feelings too and tried to ward off the terrible memories of what he had done in the desert. "Yeah, I remember," he mumbled, trying not to sound too discouraged.

"Well when you started rising, I knew there was danger. I could feel the air you sent out and just barely sense what was happening. But I stayed put so Sokka would grab me. And he did. He pulled me out of danger." Toph shook her head, looking troubled. Aang knew how she felt. He constantly longed for Katara to hug him and maybe even kiss him. Toph was just desperate for Sokka to touch her, even if he was just pulling her roughly out of the way. But Toph was a rough person, perhaps she liked that sort of attention.

"Why don't you tell Sokka your feelings about him?" Aang suggested.

"Same reason as you, I guess," she continued, drawing her knees up to her chest. "And besides, he doesn't like me."

"How do you know?" Aang asked defiantly, trying to keep Toph's spirits up. It was clear that Sokka made her really happy.

"He's got so many other girls after him," Toph said morosely. "That Suki girl. He really seems to like her. She's probably really pretty and I already know she's sweet. The way they stare at each other… And they kissed. That definitely proves it."

"But if you spend more time with Sokka, maybe he'll realize you like him," Aang pointed out. Sokka and Suki really liked each other. But Toph and Sokka definitely had more time to spend together.

Toph shook her head sadly. "It won't work, Aang. Besides, if he's not with Suki, it's someone else. Like that Fire Nation girl Ty Lee. She likes him too."

"Aw, c'mon, Toph!" Aang said bracingly. "Things wouldn't work between Sokka and Ty Lee, he doesn't even like her."

Toph shrugged again. "And then there's this Yue girl he was talking about…"

"Yue's gone, she became the new moon spirit," Aang informed Toph in a rushed tone, trying to get her confidence up again without having to describe the epic at the North Pole.

"I know. Katara told me. But he still loves her."

"So what? Sokka still loves Yue but does that mean all love for him is blocked?" Aang asked, suddenly feeling very strongly about Toph's love for Sokka. "It's sort of like this cave we're in. Inside, it's hot and cramped from the block. But outside, there's a whole world of possibilities. Besides, he was able to kiss Suki which means he has room for new love. And even besides Suki, he's still…" Aang smiled at Toph, then remembered that she couldn't see it. "It'll work out somehow, Toph. I know it will. You two were made for each other."

Toph suddenly perked up. "You think so?"

Aang grinned again, unable to control himself. "I know so. You just have to let Sokka know you care for him."

"I tried. Remember when you said Katara was in trouble in Ba Sing Se and you guys picked me up? I held on to Sokka's arm for the whole ride. And…" Toph seemed to be realizing something.

"And he never said a word," Aang finished helpfully. "He didn't push you off. In fact, he seemed happy about it."

"Do you really think he likes me?" Toph asked suddenly, her glazed-over emerald eyes shining for the first time Aang had ever noticed.

"I have a feeling that he's got an idea." Aang repeated Toph's words and she gave him a small smile.

"It's just… I love Sokka so much. When I first met him, I thought he was kind of a jerk. But I've grown really close to him. He's funny when I need cheering up, he's serious when he needs to be… Do you think he knows I like him?"

"Definitely not," Aang said, remembering how Toph had easily sensed his love for Katara and realizing he never saw Toph staring lovingly at Sokka. Then he remembered that Toph couldn't see. But she never showed any sign of liking him until now.

"Sokka's such a great warrior. I only mock him because I can get his attention. Truthfully, he inspires me to perform my best. If a non-Bender can fight as well as Sokka, why can't a Bender fight like a non-Bender? Like Sokka?"

Aang didn't know what to say to this so he stayed silent. It seemed Toph had her own way of showing her affection for Sokka. A cleverly disguised way, too, but Aang knew he should've recognized it before.

She continued. "The more time I spend with him, the more time I _crave_ to have with him. But what if I mess it up? What if I get too close?"

"Toph, I spend a lot of time with Katara even when I'm not training. You can spend time with Sokka. He's usually by himself anyway. He goes out hunting alone because he has nothing else to do." Aang only knew this because Sokka had told him. He had asked the Avatar to come hunting with him one time but the Aang had refused, telling him he didn't like hunting.

"Yeah, I know." Toph's mood seemed to be sinking again. "But Sokka doesn't ask me to come. It's probably because, well…"

"What?" Aang pushed.

"That Suki girl is really pretty, isn't she?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Aang didn't like the direction that this conversation was going in.

"I'm not pretty at all."

"Yes you are!" Aang cried, waving his arms around wildly.

"No, I don't think I am."

"But Toph…"

"Aang, Sokka doesn't notice me because I'm just not attractive. Just face fact."

Aang didn't know what to say. What could he say? "But Toph… I really do think you're pretty." It wasn't the most inspiring thing he could've said, but it cheered Toph up a bit.

"Maybe a little, I guess, but nothing like Suki."

"Well I'm not exactly handsome." The words stumbled out of his mouth so fast, he didn't have time to stop them. But they were true. At least Aang thought so.

"Are you kidding? You're the Avatar, any girl would want to go out with you."

"But I'm not handsome."

Toph reached out and rubbed Aang's bald head with a slightly twisted smile. "Tough guys have tattoos!" she chimed, sounding very un-Toph-like again.

Aang grinned. "I guess we don't have to look wonderful. I guess really beauty is on the inside."

"I guess so." Toph agreed, seeming much happier now.

"Uh… Toph? We can keep this our little secret, right?" Aang asked nervously.

"What were we talking about again?" Toph gave Aang a devilish smile.

Aang returned it. "I can't remember."

"Hey Aang?"

"Yeah?"

"I feel better. Talking to you. So thanks."

"Me too," Aang admitted, feeling relieved. "But you can thank my poor Earthbending."

"You need practice, Twinkletoes. But now can you just get us out of here before we suffocate?"

"Sure," Aang said happily as he and Toph stood up. Taking a stance in the small cavern, with his mind free of Katara, Aang gave a rough shove at the air and sent the pile of boulders shooting outwards, expelling clouds of thick dust into the air.

As Toph prepared to leave, Aang stopped her with his hand. She turned around and he hugged her.

"Alright, Twinkletoes, let go of me before you squeeze me to death," she said in her usual manner, although her voice was kind and joking. Aang let go and the two stepped outside.

"Aang!" Aang turned to see Katara, Sokka, and Appa all running towards them joyously. Katara threw herself around the Avatar in a tight embrace. "Are you okay? We were so worried! We thought you might've gotten hurt!"

"I'm fine, Katara," Aang smiled, at peace. Katara pulled away for a minute, her blue eyes shining. Then she hugged him again and Aang closed his eyes contentedly.

Toph stood close to Sokka, who seemed glad that they were okay too. Slowly, Toph turned to face him. Then, she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head in his clothes.

"Toph?" Sokka looked down, a puzzled look on his face.

Toph let go of Sokka and laughed. "Sorry, I thought you were a rock!" Sokka smiled slightly and patted her awkwardly on the head.

"Good to see you're okay, Toph."

Please rate and comment, I'd appreciate it!


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